The Tax Foundation is the nation’s leading independent tax policy nonprofit. Since 1937, our principled research, insightful analysis, and engaged experts have informed smarter tax policy at the federal, state, and global levels. For over 80 years, our goal has remained the same: to improve lives through tax policies that lead to greater economic growth and opportunity.

Under Obama’s budget, individuals would see a net increase of $834.4 billion after new taxes of $931.7 billion offset by $97.3 billion in tax reductions (see table below). The president proposes multiple provisions to increase taxes on high earners by reducing the value of tax expenditures they are able to claim by $598 billion.

Additionally, the budget would institute a new “Fair Share Tax,” based on the Buffet Rule, which creates a new minimum tax of 30 percent on high-income earners. It would also raise the estate tax from its current 40 percent to 45 percent and decrease the exemption, for new revenue of $131 billion.

It’s important to note that pass-through businesses, which pay taxes through the individual tax code, would likely be hit by some of the tax increases on the individual side of the code, specifically the ones mentioned in this section.

Tax Increase of $508.1 Billion on Businesses

Like individuals, businesses would also see a tax increase under the president’s budget. Businesses would see new taxes of $769.2 billion with offsets of about $261.1 billion in tax decreases (see table below). Many of these decreases come in the form of extending provisions that existed in the 2013 tax code, such as increased expensing for small businesses (Section 179), which saves businesses $56.8 billion, and making permanent the research and development tax credit, which accounts for $108 billion over ten years.

The major tax increases come from $276.3 billion in international tax reforms, as well as a retroactive tax increase of $150 billion from deemed repatriation of past foreign earning. The repeal of the last in, first out accounting method also raises $82.7 billion.

Tax Changes for Individuals in President Obama's Fiscal Year 2015 Budget

Source: OMB 2015 Budget Summary Tables

Tax Increases for Individuals

Limits to Total Accrual of Tax Preferred Retirement Accounts

$28.377

Increased Tobacco Taxes and Index for Inflation

$78.217

Impose Liability on Shareholders to Collect Corporations Unpaid Income Taxes

$5.238

Cost Basis of Stock Covered by Security must be determined with Average Cost Basis Method

$3.515

Reduce Value of Certain Tax Expenditures for Upper Income Earners

$598.066

Implement Buffet Rule through new "Fair Share Tax"

$53.026

Revert to 2009 Parameter for Estate and Gift Tax and Additional Changes

$131.057

Taxes Carried Interest as Ordinary Income

$13.797

Require Non-Spouse Beneficiaries of Deceased IRA Owners to Take Inherited Distributions over No More than Five Years

$5.159

Make Unemployment Insurance Surtax Permanent

$15.200

Subtotal of Individual Tax Increases

$931.652

Tax Decreases for Individuals

Expanded EITC

-$59.740

Modify Tax Exempt Bonds for Tribal Governments

-$0.112

Expand Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit

-$9.610

Extend Exclusion from Income for Cancellation of Certain Home Mortgage Debt

-$7.665

Exclusion from Income for Student Loan Forgiveness for students in Certain Income Repayment Programs who have Completed Payments

-$0.005

Exclusion for Student Loan Forgiveness for Certain Scholarship amounts for Participants in HIS programs

-$0.165

Make Pell Grants Excludable from Income

-$8.863

Including Simplification of Rule for Claiming EITC for Workers without Qualifying Children and Repeal of Telephone Excise Tax

-$11.129

Subtotal of Individual Tax Decreases

-$97.289

Net Tax Increase for Individuals

$834.363

Tax Changes for Businesses in President Obama's Fiscal Year 2015 Budget

Modify and Extend Tax Credit for Construction of Energy Efficient New Homes

-$2.048

Reduce Excise Tax on LNG to Bring into Parity with Diesel

-$0.020

Automatic Enrollment in IRAs, including a Small Employer Tax Credit and Double the Tax Credit for Small Employer Start-up Costs

-$14.507

Tax Incentive for Locating Jobs and Business Activity in U.S.

-$0.212

Enhance and Make Permanent the R and E Tax Credit

-$108.146

Extend and Modify Certain Employment Credits

-$9.714

Modify and Make Permanent Renewable Electricity Production Tax Credit

-$19.286

Modify and Make Permanent the Deduction for Energy-Efficient Commercial Building Property

-$6.068

Extend Increased Expensing for Small Business

-$56.828

Eliminate Capital Gains Taxation on Investments in Small Business Stock

-$9.202

Increased Limitation for Deductible New Business Expenditures and Consolidates Provisions for Start-Ups

-$4.258

Expand and Simplify Credits Provided to Qualified Small Employers for Non-Elective Contributions to Employee Health Insurance

-$1.326

Permanently Extend and Modify the New Markets Tax Credit

-$8.713

Reform and Expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit

-$1.390

Subtotal Tax Decreases for Businesses

-$261.078

Net Tax Increase for Businesses

$508.075

Update: This article was updated with new information. The taxes included in "Reform Treatement of Financial and Insurance Industiry, including Marked to Market" totaling $31 billion were previously excluded. Additionally, carried interest has been moved to the individual tax changes. The tables and chart above reflect these changes.

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The Tax Foundation is the nation’s leading independent tax policy nonprofit. Since 1937, our principled research, insightful analysis, and engaged experts have informed smarter tax policy at the federal, state, and global levels. For over 80 years, our goal has remained the same: to improve lives through tax policies that lead to greater economic growth and opportunity.